Salt Lake evening Democrat. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1885-1887, 1887-04-11
A MODEST PROPOSITION.

The Mormon paper which endeavored
Intellectually to prevent the organization
of a Chamber of Commerce, insisted
that the Loyal League should be dis
organized as a preliminary step to the
establishment of the Trade Association.
In other words that the Gentle members
shosld abandon thei political and re-
ligious principles before they could be-
come eligible to membership in
a body organized exclusively for
commercial and such other busi-
ness purposes as would inure to the
general benefit of the city and Territory.
A modest proposition, truly, and one
which it is surprising did not result in
the immediate abandonment of an organ
ixation which embraces in its member
ship nine-tenths of the Gentle people
of Utah! Had this been acceded
to, the next demand would doubt
less have been that baptism in
the Mormon Church should be
be made prerequisite to admission into the
Trade organization, and that each meeting
ofthe Board should be opened with prayer
by some Bishop or other dignitary of
the same politico-religious institution. In
the preliminary movements toward the
organization of the body which may now
he classed among our established local
institutions, it was distinctly understood
that politics and religion should be
strictly ignored. 1t was agreed that
that there should be no distinction made
that all should meet together and work
for common purpose, namely, the ad-
vancement of the commercial and gen.
eral interest of the city. Although per-
haps most of the principal movers
in the proposition in the onset
were Gentiles, there was a unani-
nous feeling expressed that all classes
OF business men, irrespective of
religious or political predictions should
be encouraged to participate in the move
ment and enjoy its benefits. This was
accepted in good faith by a number of
the more liberal and enterprising mem
bers Of the Mormon Church, whose
names are now attached to the roll of
the organization, and it is quite certain
that they will never be able to classify
the political and religious beliefs of their
associates, by anything which will occur
in any of the business matters
pertaining to the affairs of the
Board. 1t is proposed to have
at least one organization in the Ter
ritory which will be devoted to
the advancement of its interests
and which will not be tram
melled by the interminable and OBJ
structive elements in political and re-
lig,ous matters. The Loyal League cuts
no more figure in the organization OF the
Chamber of Commerce than did the Ma
sonic Fraternity, the Catholic Church or
the Knights of Labor. The attempt to
connect the two was designed as a fire.
brand to incite the political and religious
Prejudices of the ignorant and fanatical,
andto prevent if possible the commingling
of Mormons and Gentiles for purpose,
which is designed to be beneficial
to aI nose interests are identified
with tins community. The effort upon
the pa of the Mormon paper
to pre- ~ the people which
it claim TO represent from joining
in this move lcr' has not been successful.
The list of members includes the names
of some Cf the most enterprising sub
stantial and successful business men
of Mormon helief in the city.
These gentlemcu are too sensible to con-
found religion nj politics with purely
business proposition, and they do not
demand the dissolution of the LOYAL
League as condition to their member
ship in body, y,wh Jse objects are in no wise
identified with, nor bear any relation to
those of the other organization. Nei-
ther the Loyal League nor the Mormon
Church, the Liberal or the Peoples par
ties have any connection whatever with
the Chamber of Commerce, nor is it nee
esSary for any or either of them to go out
of existence to facilitate the purposes Of
the latter.